From the front

dave_1
dave_1 Posts: 9,512
edited December 2007 in Pro race
is how the greats should attack in yellow, no team helpers...no bruyneel or sponsors buying up the opposition every winter to do it for you... Lance was never good enough to do it this way http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPZiegOh ... re=related

Comments

  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    That's not really fair. La Vie Claire were an astonishingly strong team - Especially in 86. 40% of the top 10 were LVC. And 30% in 85.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,069
    And USPS weren't Iain?
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    andyp wrote:
    And USPS weren't Iain?

    Of course they were but La Vie Claire did the same thing (ish) It's not like the badger was unsupported.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • dave_1
    dave_1 Posts: 9,512
    Hinault and Lemond never worked together really...and Hampsten attacked himself in the pyrenees in 86...there wasn't the USPS formation of climbers leading Armstrong up most cols...it was all fragemented efforts by La Vie Claire...never formation type tempo setting that Lance Armstrong created. ANd Armstrong was basically defensive in yellow, like Indurain...and look at Hinault in yellow...sets a tempo for a could km before the hairpin , letting everyone know what's coming and then raises it again after the hairpin...that's panache...in your face...here it is chaps...follow if you can. I can't remember a clear example of mountain teamwork by La Vie claire, only Bauer chasing Hinault down for Lemond in 86..though I accept they were very strong were LVC. Lemond only blocked reluctantly
  • yakk
    yakk Posts: 589
    True style Dave, and none of that stony face. When Hinault attacked it was with an ugly grimace on his face - fantastic. Different means to an end...
    Yak
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,069
    Am I right in thinking that's the Pas de Morgins they are climbing? Liggett doesn't say in the commentary as he's too busy telling us about the Spanish/Portuguese/Columbian climber Herrera. :roll:
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    . ANd Armstrong was basically defensive in yellow,


    mmmm are you saying by that comment that Armstrong never attacked when in yellow ? I can recall a good few occasions when he was anything but defensive in yellow.

    cheers
    MG
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    Yakk wrote:
    True style Dave, and none of that stony face. When Hinault attacked it was with an ugly grimace on his face - fantastic. Different means to an end...
    Yak


    lol are we now defining a cyclist by his fizzog !!! Paco Mancebo eat your heart out .


    cheers
    MG
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • yakk
    yakk Posts: 589
    The more contorted & ugly the better, MG :shock: (I'm only glad no-one caught me on film climbing).
    Yak
  • timoid.
    timoid. Posts: 3,133
    Dave_1 wrote:
    is how the greats should attack in yellow, no team helpers...no bruyneel or sponsors buying up the opposition every winter to do it for you... Lance was never good enough to do it this way http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPZiegOh ... re=related

    Yes and Cipolini and Petacchi aren’t proper sprinters because they use trains and don’t cause Abdu stylee chaos in the finishing straights*.

    Armstrong (and I'm no apologist) won smart and dominated everyone around him. He used the weapons (lets not discuss ALL the weapons he used) that he had at his disposal. I applaud him for that. Also I rate his many of his victories (e.g. 'the look') and his dominance in 2004 as up there with anyone.


    *hang on I may have a point here...
    It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.
  • dave_1
    dave_1 Posts: 9,512
    Timoid. wrote:
    Dave_1 wrote:
    is how the greats should attack in yellow, no team helpers...no bruyneel or sponsors buying up the opposition every winter to do it for you... Lance was never good enough to do it this way http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPZiegOh ... re=related

    Yes and Cipolini and Petacchi aren’t proper sprinters because they use trains and don’t cause Abdu stylee chaos in the finishing straights*.

    Armstrong (and I'm no apologist) won smart and dominated everyone around him. He used the weapons (lets not discuss ALL the weapons he used) that he had at his disposal. I applaud him for that. Also I rate his many of his victories (e.g. 'the look') and his dominance in 2004 as up there with anyone.


    *hang on I may have a point here...

    True, Lance was awesome...2001 Alpe Du Huez was something else...I just like the badgers attitude...that clip was 3 cols out or 2 cols out...Hinault did it again in 1986 twice...to Alpe du Huez, and in the Pyrenees attacking 2 cols out...Indurain and Armstrong...rarely did exploits of off the front over 2 or 3 cols...mind you , as Lemond say in Pro Cycling, Hinault had the 86 TDF won in day of the pyrenees , 5 minutes up, but set off on a 3 col lone mission in the styel of Mercx..awesome
  • drenkrom
    drenkrom Posts: 1,062
    It was always better in the old days. A good few years from now, we'll be sitting in a pub, yelling into each other's hearing aids about how gutsy that Armstrong fellow was. Maybe...
  • dave_1
    dave_1 Posts: 9,512
    drenkrom wrote:
    It was always better in the old days. A good few years from now, we'll be sitting in a pub, yelling into each other's hearing aids about how gutsy that Armstrong fellow was. Maybe...

    :D true. When are the next top Canadian cyclists hitting the continent. Been a while since Bauer and Steida eh. , Isn't Gord Fraser Candian?
  • dave_1
    dave_1 Posts: 9,512
    andyp wrote:
    Am I right in thinking that's the Pas de Morgins they are climbing? Liggett doesn't say in the commentary as he's too busy telling us about the Spanish/Portuguese/Columbian climber Herrera. :roll:

    Yes, Andy...Herrera and Hinault went from 3 cols out..it was

    st 11 Pontarlier-Morzine Avoriaz, 195 km

    Pas de Morgins (1-1380) -> Herrera
    Le Corbier (2-1235) -> Herrera
    Avoriaz (1-1820) -> Herrera

    1. Luis Herrera en 5h19'04"
    2. Hinault à 7"
    3. Delgado à 1'23"
    4. Parra à 1'41"
    5. LeMond
    6. Roche à 2'05"
    7. Winnen
    8. Millar à 2'39"
    9. Prieto à 3'02"
    10. Wellens
    Classement complet
  • drenkrom
    drenkrom Posts: 1,062
    The next Canadian road star? I wouldn't hold my breath on that one, Dave_1. The two most promising guys of my generation got their go in Europe and got spat out. Charles Dionne did half a season with Saunier-Duval before they just stopped paying and calling him (no shit), and Ryder Hesjedal got caught with his pants down with a long contract with Phonak when it folded and had to retreat to the US, despite a courageous Vuelta. Dominique Rollin could maybe have a go, but prefers to win with a US team rather than carry bottles for a Euro team.

    But I digress...